You provide valid html & css, so what?

This is something that is really starting to bug me. It seems like every web shop under the sun has been touting their ability to provide standards complaint valid HTML and CSS. But I ask you so what and who cares? I fully believe in the benefits of standards complaint and valid HTML / CSS but why do so many people use it as a selling point?

IT’S ASSUMED

To me this just seems like saying “a car comes with wheels.” By this point it should be assumed that you are providing this service. A couple of years ago making this claim stated that you were above the curve, today if you can’t make the claim then you are lacking. In this light, using the statement as a value proposition just makes you appear like an amateur.

IT’S UBIQUITOUS

Everyone, and I really mean everyone is making the claim that they offer standards complaint / valid services. This statement is becoming so widely used that it only shows how typical your services are. Instead I would think about what your company stands for as a brand and come up with a value statement that makes you different. This is what is going to set you and your services apart from the sea of standards complaint clones.

NO ONE IMPORTANT CARES

By important I mean clients. I would think that unless you only deal with technology experts and other agencies / designers / developers, the majority of your clients don’t know or care what you do as long as it looks “right.” In this situation making these claims only complicates your message and confuses your clients with technical information.

The overall point I am trying to make here is that maybe the firms that are using this statement in an attempt to gain new business should reevaluate their audience. Chances are they are forgetting who the client really is and what they’re looking for. The truth is they may need these services however most likely they won’t know it. This means that we need to create statements that speak to our client’s wants while still delivering what they need.

admin

I totally agree with you.

Clients only care wether the site looks “right” or not. No client will ever care about how “standard” his website will be.

henry

I agree with you, Anthony. Also, one thing that I don’t get is putting Valid XHTML/CSS links in the footer of the page, especially when it’s about corporate page or page of similar topic.
As you stated, it’s normal nowadays that web designer/developer should provide client with standards-compliant web pages, and putting these links at the bottom of the page just makes you somehow snobist. I’m just saying that these statements don’t have place in pages of that type. When it’s about your portfolio page, it’s another thing. If someone wants to know if your work is standards compliant, they will know how to do it.

jay

I agree with you, but it depends from the place where you work. In Italy, having a valid and standard compliant site is not so obvious (sadly).

I can see your point – but one can argue that many many companies/clients don’t even know or fully understand what “standards compliment code” is or the benefits of using it – thus the “car comes with wheels” analogy doesn’t really work because absolutely everyone knows what is expected from a car.

Although I would somewhat agree that it’s not imperative for a company/client to understand what exactly in “under the hood” and to just make the website work – but with something as relatively new as standards compliment websites, it’s only natural for people to still be mentioning it.

It happens all the time – Car manufacturers for example love to advertise their newly developed “V8 advanced 200 horsepower engine etc” in commercials – despite it being largely jargon to the layman.

kley

I think it’s just a case of “Everyone else is doing it” – And you are 100% right, and I think especially when you say that “Nobody Important cares” – Most clients won’t understand what it is, or the need for it.

I think the only case where it might be valid is for companies who’s clients consist mainly of designers or programmers; who would understand what it means, and have a need for it.

lane

I am going to have to disagree. I think you would be surprised as to how many people DO NOT use standards compliant code. Even though clients may not understand what it means to have standard compliant code, it it our job as web developers to convey the importance of it.

tim

I think part of this is a marketing angle. You and I know that writing standards compliant code should be automatic, but when a room full of execs are comparing RFPs or something from a dozen companies, and they lay out their feature grid, and 11 note writing compliant code and one doesn’t mention it (even if they actually do, but just chose not to mention it), suddenly they are at a disadvantage. The board room execs have no clue that such a “feature” shouldn’t even be in question, they just know it didn’t show up on their grid.

jim

What I am more referring to is the large statement on the front page of your homepage or the business that is built completely on the idea of valid XHTML/CSS. You can still put that you offer those services, just be deeper than that. I am suggesting that people think harder and offer something over and above instead of becoming a standards clone.

I know that not everyone offers it but that doesn’t mean just because you do that you are a better service. If you think about it it is really easy to offer these services, anyone could hire a new employee that specializes in it or even outsource the initial production. It matters, but not enough to be the foundation of your business.

mat

@Michael Fienen – I completely agree with you. I think if you didn’t include it but you can do it you might be missing out on some clients, who don’t know what it is, but see that everyone else mentions it.

I think a mention of it is a lot more reasonable than using it as a selling point – which unfortunately a lot of people seem to be doing.

beckk

I disagree with you on this one. My company is going through a redesign effort on our main site. The design firm that came in started with wanting to build a flash site and had never heard of CSS or Standards or any of these items. It was only when IT explained the value of it that they agreed to work this way (and were happy to get the education in how to be a better design firm).

There are still many folks who don’t understand these points and don’t see the value. It is still a distinguishing value from a design firm.

— The design firm we chose did excellent design work, but had limited web experience and is looking to do more in this area. They’re good people, so we were glad to educate them.

all

Daniel,

I think what you are describing is more along the lines of the firms inability to accurately judge your needs and deliver a proper solution. Also SEO is not intrinsically tied to valid HTML/CSS that is just a misconception. While it does benefit it, it is only a small part.